CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE COREL WTA TOUR

November 17, 1997

Mary Pierce

Q. Looked like you were pounding your forehand, have you hit it better?

MARY PIERCE: Yeah, I think so. I think I played well tonight. This is the best I feel like I've been playing lately. It's been kind of tough because I was sick and it's been taking me a little while to feel like I'm back in the groove again. But tonight was the closest I felt to being happy the way I played. I think that it's good I feel good about it as my first match. And, you know, I've got another day where I can rest and practice a little bit more and hopefully be even better for my next match.

MARY PIERCE: Yes. I really didn't have a lot of rallies. Usually a little bit more rallies. This evening it was a little bit easier than I expected. I think I served really well and I just tried to stay really aggressive, stay on top of her. Basically, be aggressive from the first ball.

MARY PIERCE: I don't know.

MARY PIERCE: Weak, dizzy. Those are the main things, really. Other than that -- I mean, I was a little bit tired. Just, you know, you get tired really quick. If your body or something goes down, your conditioning goes down. But, you know, that was a while ago and, you know, I wouldn't be playing if I didn't feel like I was ready. You know, I've been working hard the last few weeks to try and be fit and play here, so, I'm feeling pretty good.

MARY PIERCE: Yeah, I wasn't feeling well. I came back too soon. I was eager to play because basically since the U.S. Open, September, October I only had one competition, and that was Federation Cup. Not really any tournament. I was eager to play. I was getting, not bored, but anxious to compete again. I just went to Chicago too soon. I practiced not even a week and not even full out, so I wasn't even ready to go play. It was too soon, so that's why I went back home to get ready to play here.

MARY PIERCE: I would like to say any surface. Except maybe once in a while on clay. But it's something that Craig and I have been working on a lot serving volleys, hitting a deep shot, taking advantage of it, taking the ball in the air, putting the ball away. Something I need to do more of. Take advantage of my good shots.

MARY PIERCE: Not at all. No, I think, you know, you always want to do better, but, you know, looking back a year ago from now when I was frustrated, you know, I was concerned about my shoulder, out with that and, you know, I was out three months, didn't touch a racket, didn't see a ball for three months, which is a long time. And I just came back, made the finals at Australia and won the Italian Open. I had a lot of great wins and matches. Unfortunately I got sick towards the end of the year and missed a few months, but that just happens. Overall I'm pretty happy. Hopefully next year will be even better.

MARY PIERCE: Male players? I enjoy watching Sampras, Rafter, Philippoussis, they have aggressive games, kind of similar to mine. I liked watching McEnroe, Connors they were also fun to watch. Lendl, Wilander, Becker just a lot of guys, yeah.